Online Lecture (3)
Online Lecture (3)
Lately, things outside had been unsettling.
With elementary and middle schools nearby, parents were taking turns patrolling 24 hours a day.
The police were also visibly patrolling in greater numbers.
Well, after making the news like that, staying idle would've been a big problem.
"Still, as long as you stay inside the apartment, it's safe."
- Isn't it boring just sitting around at home?
Lee Min-ho chuckled and said he'd escape through the window if I tried to keep him from going out.
For Lee Min-ho, who couldn't stay still for even a moment because he was so restless, that made perfect sense.
They say track and field athletes get restless if they don't exercise.
But I was different.
I was a homebody to begin with.
"It's fine. I don't have anything to do even if I go out anyway."
- You're way too laid-back...
"You're not one to talk!?"
Before he got a girlfriend, he was the type to drink with older female classmates — he had no right to say that.
That was beyond laid-back, it was flat-out oblivious.
"I'm going to be home anyway, so you be careful."
- Yeah? Then get some rest.
"You go play in moderation and head home too."
My calls with Lee Min-ho always ended with a similar feeling.
Knowing him, he'd probably go out drinking again or go for a drive anyway.
Worrying about him was useless.
***
But even as I tried to stay holed up at home, I felt just as stifled.
Whether I walked around inside the apartment building or wandered through the shopping arcade, the feeling of being cooped up was the same.
Since things had come to this, the only option was to go out for a walk with Lil' One.
Going out alone wasn't an option with things being so dangerous lately.
"Lil' One~ Let's go for a walk."
I grabbed the leash from the front entrance and went looking for Lil' One.
Lil' One was sitting in the living room, watching A-ra appear on TV.
This kid, who had been sitting quietly until just a moment ago, was gradually looking more and more hostile.
What's gotten into her?
"Lil' One?"
"Arrrrr...."
Normally she'd throw a fit the moment I brought out the leash, but this time she started snarling — something I'd never seen before.
I was genuinely flustered since she'd never shown me this side of her before.
That said, she was still our Lil' One.
Even when she was trying to be angry, she was nothing but adorable.
Still, it was a bit of a shame.
Today, I'd been thinking of going outside the apartment and walking toward Rutderia.
"I was thinking of going outside the apartment today..."
"Woof! Woof!"
It felt like she was shouting that she didn't want to go.
I guess dogs have days they want to go for walks and days they don't.
"You don't want to?"
"Woof!"
"Alright... then let's play on the terrace with Daddy."
Only then did she come running and start snuggling up to me.
When I lifted her up with both hands and hugged her, Lil' One started licking my cheek over and over.
It was bewildering how her attitude changed in an instant, as if she actually understood what I was saying.
This wasn't just being smart.
"Lil' One, then how about a walk inside the apartment?"
"Arrrrrr...."
It seemed she didn't even want to walk on the apartment complex's walking path, let alone go outside.
Lil' One, you're secretly a homebody too, huh?
"Inside's no good either, I see. Then let's just play on the terrace..."
"Woof!"
After answering energetically, Lil' One ran out toward the terrace that I'd left open earlier.
Here I was, even checking my daughter's mood before doing anything... sniff sniff...
*
"Haah... Done!"
Taking advantage of Lil' One playing on the terrace, I'd done a full-scale cleaning.
Now that the cleaning team hyungs were household regulars and had grown close to us, cleaning together meant it was done in no time.
"Hyungs, if it's okay with you, would you like some coffee before you go?"
"Shall we?"
They took off the caps and gloves they were wearing, put them in the bags they'd brought, and wiped sweat from their foreheads with their sleeves.
Even though they were men, they seemed so comfortable doing this kind of hard work — every time I saw them, I thought they looked cool.
"If anyone would like a drink other than coffee."
"Me."
"A soft drink for me too, please."
"Then I'll bring orange juice for the two of you."
"As expected of Seong-hwan-ssi... even your thoughtfulness is different."
"Heh... flattery won't get you anything extra."
"Whoops... busted."
We all laughed loudly at the cleaning team captain hyung's joke.
Of course, I laughed loudly too.
Anyway, chatting over a cold drink after finishing the cleaning was something quite special.
It wasn't always just coffee — we'd chat while drinking things like milk with misutgaru powder mixed in or green tea.
Today, while talking about the usual cleaning-related topics,
somehow we ended up talking about the recent indiscriminate sexual assault incidents.
"From elementary school kids to adults... the range of victims is pretty broad."
"Isn't that a bit strange? No matter how you look at it, the victim distribution is a little weird."
"Maybe it's more than one person... or maybe it's a group moving together?"
"But the victims themselves say they were assaulted by one person..."
The statements the victims gave at the police station were all similar.
Given that the description of the suspect's clothing was similar too, it was highly likely to be one person.
"Seong-hwan-ssi, your physical strength is weak too, so I think it'd be best if you didn't go outside for a while."
"Mm... I'm planning to."
Everyone nodded while drinking their coffee and beverages, apparently thinking along the same lines.
All the hyungs sitting here were people with sturdy builds and crazy stamina, so when people like that gave that kind of advice,
it naturally made me think I really should just stay holed up at home.
"And Lil' One is a small breed, so she probably isn't strong enough to protect her daddy."
"Oh come on... she's just a baby barely four months old, who's protecting who."
"Really? Now I want to raise a dog like Lil' One too."
Lil' One, who'd been getting her head stroked by the hyungs for a good while, started whining and snuggling into my arms, seemingly uncomfortable.
I guess compared to strangers, Daddy's touch was a million times better.
"Lil' One says she doesn't like you."
"Oh... of course she'd go to her daddy if he's right there..."
"Oh, Seong-hwan-ssi is absolutely loving this."
Ahem...
I wiped the goofy grin off my face and diligently petted Lil' One, who was sitting on my lap.
After chatting for a while longer, the cleaning team hyungs got up and headed toward the front door.
Their thanks for the drinks and request to be called again next time made me realize once again how much my social skills had grown.
"Phew... cleaning's all done... should I prep the dinner ingredients in advance?"
Or should I clean up Lil' One's room?
I'd tidied it up earlier, but I'd put off things like placing the cushion or laying out the pad for later.
"Lil' One."
"Woof!"
"Let's just take a nap."
Forget cleaning up. I was so tired my eyes were closing — what was I even thinking of doing?
I should just sleep soundly, wake up with a clear head, and finish organizing the rest.
"It's so loud..."
As I hugged Lil' One under one arm and slowly walked toward the master bedroom, I could hear sirens blaring really loudly.
That siren sound wasn't an ambulance or a fire truck — it was likely a police car.
Don't tell me another incident happened?
Two days in a row, no matter what...?
"Good thing I didn't go out. Right."
"......"
"Lil' One?"
She'd already fallen asleep?
She slept so soundly even through all this noise.
***
"Seong-hwan-a, apparently another incident happened during the day today?"
During our meal, a sigh automatically escaped me at A-ra's words.
The news was reporting on exactly that topic at that very moment.
"The police siren was so loud, there was no way I could have missed it."
"Sigh... I heard it was in the alley near Rutderia..."
What?
Wasn't that exactly where I'd been planning to go for a walk today?
If Lil' One hadn't refused to go out, I don't know what would've happened.
"You didn't go out near there, did you?"
"N..no, I didn't."
"Hmmmm...."
A-ra narrowed her eyes, trying to judge if it was the truth or a lie.
When she'd finished her assessment, she let out a small laugh and scooped up some rice with her spoon, putting it in her mouth.
It looked like she'd judged it to be true.
"Actually... I was going to go out, but Lil' One didn't seem to want to, so I didn't."
"Is that so..."
"Instead, I did a full-scale cleaning for the first time in a while."
I showed off the gleaming, spotlessly polished marble floor and the living room and kitchen without a single speck of dust.
A-ra looked around, nodded, and put another spoonful of rice into her mouth.
"So that's why it was cleaner than usual."
"'Than usual'? It's way cleaner."
"Yeah, yeah, because our Seong-hwan-i works so hard at cleaning."
A-ra put down her spoon and stroked my head.
I looked at A-ra and pouted.
Did she find that expression of mine cute?
Smiling brightly, she set her spoon down with a clink.
"Seong-hwan-a."
"Yes?"
"Give me one more bowl of rice."
This time, I smiled wryly as I watched A-ra grin while holding out her bowl.
Because it was already her third bowl.
Judging by her appetite, it didn't seem like she'd skipped lunch.
Had she eaten something easy to digest, like porridge or noodles?
"What did you have for lunch today?"
"I had a sandwich, chicken salad, and milk."
"You should've eaten a proper meal."
"Hehe. What can I do, I suddenly felt like eating that."
"Or, should I pack a lunchbox for you?"
"A lunchbox? Hmm...."
"I'm fine with it, but I'm worried it'll be hard on you. Just don't."
"I want to, though."
"No, you're busy too."
A-ra said she wished I would rest a bit more.
When I rested, I should do cleaning in moderation, and on weekends when we were together, we should call people in to do the cleaning.
But, I had nothing to do even if I stayed home anyway,
so wasn't cleaning at least a good thing?